This series keeps getting better! The Hunt is book three in the Devil’s Isle series and probably the best one so far. This book dragged so many emotions out of me. I love how the Chloe Neill was able to connect intense emotions with her readers. LOVED IT!!

Synopsis:
When bounty hunter Liam Quinn discovered that Claire Connolly was a Sensitive and infected with magic, he should have turned her in to be locked up in the prison district known as Devil’s Isle. Instead, he helped her learn to control her power and introduced her to an underground group of Paranormals and humans who know the truth about the war and those who fought it.

Now the weight of Liam’s own secrets has forced him into hiding. When a government agent is killed and Claire discovers that Liam is the prime suspect, she races to find him before the government can. But she’ll discover proving his innocence is no simple matter. Their enemies are drawing closer, and time is running out….

Review:Claire is a strong woman with conflicting feels about Liam. But when Liam needs her help, she doesn’t think twice about going after him.

When Claire goes looking for Liam, I expected a happy reunion. Maybe hugs, Liam’s famous half smile, something that resembled the affection the two of them once shared. The build up of seeing Liam again had my stomach doing somersaults. And the reality is devastating. Instead of affection, Claire is met with a solid flat wall. Putting myself in Claire’s place, I would be so hurt but also royally mad. It doesn’t help how utterly attractive Liam is and somehow is even more otherworldly masculine and sexy.

The question of Clair’s mother rises early in this book. Again I put myself in her position and wonder, would I want to know the truth of my mother – The possibility she could have been this evil entity? Or the tale her father strung of her early death before the war? Either way, Claire gets forced into the reality every person must eventually face. That moment when your parents fall from the enormously high pedestal you’ve held them at because they aren’t perfect. And in Claire’s case, they are more than flawed. They are this cold, evil stranger.

Liam’s power is pretty cool. It takes a while before figuring out why he didn’t want to tell Clair about it. And it’s actually kind of sweet. I think I would have done a similar thing. Maybe with a little more communication though.

I love the chemistry between Liam and Claire. The similarities between Liam and Clair’s father don’t go unnoticed and I wonder if there are any underlining ‘daddy’ issues Claire is compensating for.

The story ends with the battle between time and Claire’s mother. Claire has shown an enormous amount of strength, clarity, and willingness to make the hard choice and follow through with it in this book. This book has so much love in it. Even though in the beginning it’s difficult to see, trust me it’s there. And it comes in so many forms and from the people you least expect. I’ll admit reading this book, my emotions ran high. But isn’t that the best gift an author can give!

The ending of this book – and I don’t mean the last few chapters, I mean the very end – of this book was ok. I’m somewhere between thinking ok, maybe that would work to yeah that was kind of an easy out. Either way, that was what we are left with and I’m hands down excited for the next book.

I wish I could say more, dive into every detail of this book. But let’s be honest, that’s not what you want. I’m trying very hard not to give away too much but my hope is I gave you enough to entice you to read more. Although this isn’t my favorite series from this author, I still wholeheartedly enjoyed this book.

Synopsis:Obsession is deadly. No one learns that better than Luna Ketz, a pessimistic high school senior. She wishes more than anything to graduate but things don’t always go as planned. Luna quickly finds herself trapped in a web of lies and murders, spun by the least suspected person in her hometown. It’s not long before she realizes she’s being targeted by the person she despises most in the world. When Luna figures out who is behind the killings, things make a turn for the bizarre when she is contacted by a friend she has not heard from in years. It is then Luna realizes she is very much in danger, but although she can avoid the killer in reality, she cannot avoid him in her dreams.

Excerpt:Chance stayed where he was, studying the nearby people. At the sight of him alone, a couple girls ran up to him and Luna guessed they were asking him for a dance. She smiled a bit to herself…maybe if he got distracted with the other girls he would forget she was there. As she watched, he shooed the girls away with a simple movement of his arm, and Luna’s hope turned to disappointment. He walked over to her, searching her eyes with his.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like the paparazzi?” He laughed.

“You should dance with those other girls.”

“Why?” he asked, scrunching up his face.

“Because I want to go home.”

He shook his head. “No way, you’re not going home without at least giving me one dance.”

Luna slumped her shoulders. “Do we really have to?”

“Do I have to tell David that you didn’t follow his orders?” he asked, tipping his head to the side.

Luna closed her eyes for a long moment to hold back the building anger. He’d keep his promise. “Fine, you win.”

He smiled and held out his hand to her. “Of course I did.”

Reluctantly, she set her hand in his. His skin felt clammy beneath her fingers, like he had been sweating. Luna wanted to pull her hand back, but she forced herself to keep it there. He closed his fingers around hers and pulled her onto the dance floor. The music turned to a slow, sappy song, forcing them to slow dance. He forced her arms up onto his shoulders and set his hands on her waist.

As he stepped to the music, she searched his expression for any sign of compassion. “Why do you do this to me?”

“Do what?”

“Make me go to things like this. I mean, I know you don’t like me. What could you possibly want from me?”

He looked back at her, and for a minute, he didn’t speak, as if he had been caught off-guard by her question. “I can’t tell you.”

“You can blackmail me into going on dates with you, and you can have your friends kidnap me, but you can’t tell me why you do it?” she asked in disbelief.

“Look, you’ll find out eventually, and you won’t like it, I know. I try hard to get you to feel something toward me so that when you find that out, you won’t fight me,” he whispered in her ear.

“Find what out? What could be so bad? Do Susan and Kate and all of them know what it is?” She pulled back to watch his face carefully.

“No, they don’t. No one does. Just keep quiet, okay?”

“Does this have to do with the thing you hide in your pocket?” Luna asked him a bit louder. “Do you have it on you now?” She reached her hand forward to try to touch the side of his pants.

A couple people around them turned to look as she raised her voice to him. Chance caught her wrist easily in his hand, returned their stares, and smiled nervously before looking back at Luna. He had to resist the urge to shake her into silence as he let go of her arm.

Part of her was frightened by his sudden anger. He was hiding something from her…and from everyone else as well.

“Okay, we’re setting up to play,” a voice called from the stage. “We need a volunteer singer to help us out.”

“How about Chance does it?” Luna heard a nearby girl suggest.

The anger dissolved from Chance’s face as he turned to the girl who had spoken. Luna realized all of his rage had been solely directed at her, and she felt oddly cold at the thought.

“Yeah, I’ll do it. Why not?” she barely heard him say.

He let go of her and moved through the cheering crowd toward the stage. The band took its place, and Chance stood at the microphone. He looked completely comfortable up there, normal, as if he weren’t the center of attention. The band began to play “Every Breath You Take” by The Police, and Luna studied Chance. He began to sing the words gently, and his voice surprised her.

It sounded beautiful.

As Luna watched him, she knew he looked like any other teenage boy. The girls around Luna cheered him on, but she stayed silent. His eyes flicked to her as he reached the chorus of the song, flashing in the lights. There was something bad about him. Something that separated him from all the other teenage boys and made him a danger to the people who called him ‘friend.’

Author Bio:

Proud author of Dead by Morning, fascinated by the dark and macabre. Stephen King is her all time inspiration mixed in with a little bit of Eminem. When she began writing, she started in horror but it somehow drifted into thriller. She loves the 1988 movie Heathers. She was born and raised in Michigan but traveled across the country to where she currently resides in Texas.

This book is full of drama, action, and mixed emotions. For some reason, I felt like sexual tension/situations were a constant theme throughout the book.Each character brings something new. And just when you think things couldn’t get worse, the next chapter does just that. I didn’t love the book but I also didn’t hate it, I guess I’m still unsure about this series. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I’m the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

I’m on the FBI’s wanted list.

I have a werewolf for a pet, a Witch of a best friend, and have no need for anyone else in my life.

But when a salvage starts to spin out of control, help comes from a most unexpected direction. One that is dangerously dark, brooding, and doesn’t know a thing about the supernatural.

One whose kisses set me on fire.

Review:Rylee has a special skill that is unique to her in that she is able to find any missing child. Well, almost any. Having a sister go missing ten years ago and an FBI agent determined to pin the crime on her, Rylee isn’t exactly living an easy life. Rylee is also known as an Immune, meaning psychics are unable to see into her past or future, most magic won’t affect her, poison won’t harm her.. You get the idea.

Rylee is a strong character with a soft heart. She puts everything she has into her joband is quite the fighter. But she carries a lot of baggage around and is constantly haunted by her past.

Liam, an FBI agent hell bent on seeing Rylee behind bars, has found himself in unmarked territory. After a flirtatious kiss, Liam can’t stop thinking about Rylee. But the thing that doesn’t make a lot of sense is that there is zero evidence pinning Rylee to her sisters death/disappearance. Yet Liam has been stocking – I mean investigating Rylee for 10 years. That’s a long time to investigate something, especially without any evidence.

Priceless is an easy read, the pages turn quickly as the heroine fights her way to save the life of a child. Although I felt like the plot could have dug deeper (a lot deeper), the book was an enjoyable read.

But like I said above, I’m still not sure about the series. The plot was interesting and I think there is a good story in there but this book is weighed down by the lack of editing. Ok, maybe not the lack of editing but the book could have used more help in that department. Another thing that really put me off was all the sexuality in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means a prude. I enjoy reading romance books and everything that comes with them. But in this case, I felt like everything was forced and pushed in your face while reading. There was nothing subtle or smooth about Rylee and Liam. Besides, their attraction just doesn’t add up.

Overall, the author has a good imagination and unique plot to work with. I wish there weren’t so many inconsistencies or forced scenes. And the authors unrealistic sexual attraction between her characters is off putting. I’m just not sure if I will continue with this series…

As of today, there are 102 days before this book is released. And I know, it’s not fair but I promise the wait is well worth it! You are going to love this series!

I was surprised, albeit happily surprised, with how often Ethan and Merits characters showed up in this book. It was a little weird having Ethan and Merit be side characters, being able to hear their words without their thoughts. I almost felt left out, like I was missing something. But I guess that’s how it is with all spinoffs. It’s a good thing I loved Elisa’s character! Otherwise, I think it would be difficult to stick with the series.

Synopsis:
As the only vampire child ever born, some believed Elisa Sullivan had all the luck. But the magic that helped bring her into the world left her with a dark secret. Shifter Connor Keene, the only son of North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, is the only one she trusts with it. But she’s a vampire and the daughter of a Master and a Sentinel, and he’s prince of the Pack and its future king.

When the assassination of a diplomat brings old feuds to the fore again, Elisa and Connor must choose between love and family, between honor and obligation, before Chicago disappears forever.

Review:
First off, do not go into this book expecting a miniature Merit. Although Elisa has aspects of her parents, she is no Merit. She is more and so different. And as a side note, I love the parents Ethan and Merit turned out to be.

“My smart and kind and beautiful girl. He (Ethan) liked to say that, had been saying that for years, and had always put ‘beautiful’ last. Whether it was true or not, he’d tell me it was the least important of the three. “You are smart,” he’d say. “You should be kind. And if you are, you’ll always be beautiful.”

I love this quote because it says so much about their character and values. And again, it shows what kind of parents Ethan and Merit are. I do wish Elisa would have felt like she could have told them her secret. I can’t imagine the weight of having to carry that around with you, not being able to talk to anyone about it.

The prologue was really fun to read. Chloe Neill did a great job at capturing the innocents of a child and the love/hate relationship between two young kids. If you haven’t read Chicagoland Vampire series, then I don’t think you would fully be able to picture the scene described here. Neill doesn’t go into too much description with the characters. For example, you don’t really get the sense of just how big/dominating Gabriel and Ethan presence would be, especially to two young kids. I do love how Elisa refers to Connor as ‘Connor Stupid Keene’.

Elisa’s character is complex. She is 23 and although she is a vampire, she continues to age. Elisa is heroic but at times can become reckless. And although she thinks she has discovered herself in Paris, she still has no idea who she is in Chicago. But no matter where she is, she is unbelievably brave. Knowing she has to do something, even if it means hurting the ones she loves most because it’s to save the innocent, doesn’t hurt any less. I love the innocence of Elisa’s character. Although She is able to step up to a fight, she is still affected by the loss of death.

The phrase ‘I’m an immortal’ has come from Elisa throughout the entire book. I’m not sure why it sticks out to me, but it does. I can’t help but wonder how and if this might come into play later.

Connor is just as gorgeous as he is cocky. The naked scene was far too short and such a tease. God I loved it!! I love the dominant side of him and I like how he’s honest with Elisa. Even when it’s hard, he tells her not what she wants but what she needs to hear. I like Connor’s take on Elisa’s ‘monster’. I don’t think I would have looked at it that way, but it makes sense.

Connor and Elisa have a very complicated relationship. On the one hand there’s old childhood resentment, then there is their life’s dream – for Elisa it’s being anonymous, earning her way. For Connor it’s being leader of the pack. – and finally, it’s the connection between them, discovering who they have grown to be. But even as the sparks fly between them, the rules are clear and choices will eventually have to be made.

The banter between Connor and Elisa is fantastic but there is definitely a love/hate, are we friends or more, kind of thing going on here. Some of the scenes between Connor and Elisa are not only intense but they are seductive! Who would have thought having someone grab your hand to prevent you from turning could be so sensual?!?! Chloe Neill does such an amazing job with building sexual tension between the two characters!! She is such a gifted writer and Wild Hunger is no exception.

The side characters are fun to read. I love LuLu’s hidden hobby of running. Finally, a girl that speaks my heart! I love the little details Chloe Neill adds into her books. They make her characters, no matter how minor, seem more real and relatable. Even the side characters are written in such a personal way, it’s easy to connect with them.

The plot is fun, exciting, and similar to Chicagoland Vampires series yet much more. Elisa has been away from Chicago, developing control, and is returning to support the houses in hosting peace talks amongst the other supernaturals in the world. And as you can imagine, those talks don’t exactly go as expected. One of the things I found interesting is how Cadogan house struck a deal with the mayor to not get involved in supernatural crimes. And part of me gets it – when supernaturals get involved, the city tends to get destroyed. But another part of me recognizes the injustice that is put upon a single race. I can’t help but make a comparison with today’s world and how we look, respond, and treat those of different races. I’m not sure if that was Neill’s intention or not and it wasn’t like it was an overwhelming theme. Just something I noticed.

Okay, I promise I won’t say more about the plot and characters, don’t want to give too much away 🙂

The end of the book is fantastic! I’m surprised with how much Connor and Elisa’s relationship changes. Connor is going to have his hands full with her! And that darn prophecy! Ah, I love it. This is a book you will want to read. I’ve had it on pre-order from the very beginning and even though I was given an advanced copy, I can’t wait for the book to come. This will be a book I will read again and a new series I am looking forward to starting.

I would love to hear your thoughts about the review and if you are planning on reading this book. Until next time, Happy Reading 🙂

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This book sounded interesting but not something I could read right now. Still, I wanted to help with getting the book some exposure. Let me know your thoughts on the book..

When did you know first discover you wanted to be a writer and why writing?For years, I had written short stories for my own enjoyment. In 2006, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Two months later I learned my job was being outsourced. On one of our father/son spring surf fishing trips to Cape Hatteras, my son having enjoyed my stories in the past, suggested I try writing as a new career path.

Tell us about your book and why you wrote it?Rogue officials led by President Gaylen and in turn directed by off-worlder’s set an 80-year plan in motion to seize planet Aon’s core. Being made of pure caladium, the planet’s center is the hardest and most valuable substance in the galaxy. Separate alliances unwittingly come together in the dead city of Baine with Clay gravitating to leader. Their objective; preserve the planet. The core is fashioned from living beings, these indestructible creatures prepare to defend their domain. Disregarding all else, the would be thieves continue to process the pilfered caladium. Once Clay melds the coalition, a battle for life and world begin.

I’ve always enjoyed science fiction. When it comes to writing fantasy, I find it equally enjoyable; however, there are certain conditions: no kings, queens, elves, etc. and definitely no unicorns. As to why I wrote TERMINAL CORE, when I start a novel, I stare at a blank sheet of virtual paper. An idea will soon pop into my head and I will jump in with all fours and take off from there. Because of my interests, I am usually led down a path of sci-fi or fantasy, sometimes a hybrid of both will be the result. To make a short story long as I have just done, there are no ironclad reasons for writing what I write. I give the story a beginning, let it write itself and hang on knowing I’m headed for a wild ride.

You have also written a series. Can you tell me about the series?It’s a fantasy series with bits of science fiction and dystopian mingled throughout. It follows a couple (Ben and Eve) through a world where land is at a premium due to the rising seas and is soon to be destroyed. To avoid any spoilers, I can tell you they end up on a new world where they are the beginning. They meet a plethora of characters many evil and some who become allies. Let me give you an example. This is a short synopsis from the third book, DEADLY REIGN:

Ben, Eve and Pete continue to push through this new Earth as the world sinks deeper into corruption. They gain new allies, including an intellectual animal equipped with the gift of speech. They are forced to battle six aberrations (beasts and riders) deemed nearly indestructible. The environment has manifested into a frigid terrain with the sun lost in the ice filled cloud cover. Swords forged especially for the riders by the riders offer another layer of defense to an already superior force. The humans have deduced that water may possibly be a weapon, but a weapon that even now is freezing at an accelerated rate.

I am a Christian. I attempt to work my faith into each novel I pen. In many cases, if you know the Bible you will pick up on the references. If not, it will be a Science Fiction or Fantasy novel. There is no offensive language or sexual situations in any of my writings; however, when it comes to killing demons, that can be a pretty grizzly business.

What message or lasting thought do you hope your readers will take away from your book?I hope readers will remember TERMINAL CORE as a unique Science Fiction novel and it will leave a lasting impression. So much so, they will compare it favorably to other novels of the same genre.

What author and/or what book has had the greatest impact on your life?As much as I love the written word, no book or author other than the Bible has an impact on my life. Some of my favorite authors: Stephen King would have to be number one, Robert Heinlein, H. G. Wells and Ernest Hemmingway, for the “Old Man and the Sea.”

Can you offer any advice for beginning writers or those trying to get published?Alex Hailey said it best. When asked how to become a writer, he said (and I paraphrase) if you want to write, then write. I’ve had people come to me asking the same question and I give them the same answer. As far as being published, look for a small press that accepts unsolicited manuscripts. Before you submit have other people read your manuscript that will give you an honest opinion and make sure it’s well edited. After you’re published then comes the task of marketing.

Beside your book, are there any other books you would recommend reading this spring?Stephen King’s “The Dark Tower Series”

Synopsis:Aon, a solid core planet made from the priceless and most dense element in the galaxy, caladium, is under silent attack. Plans are made by off-worlders to dissolve the unbreakable core using crude oil obtained from 19th century earth. Once the oil is refined, the byproduct, gasoline, will soften the caladium, allowing it to be collected. It is soon discovered the core is made from living beings created from caladium itself. The off-worlders employ a band of corrupt inhabitants to carry on this work. They find themselves in a constant struggle with a small coalition of Aonians bent on saving their home world. Both factions clash with the indestructible core creatures. With horrendous beasts one step behind and deadly pitfalls ahead, the coalition struggles to finish its journey, hoping to insure their races’ survival.

Excerpt from Chapter One:

CLAY STEPPED UP onto the raised walkway.

“I hate this place,” he mumbled, patting his sidearm. He grabbed the door handle and prepared to enter.

Clay was a bounty hunter. His latest skip (if you want to call him that since Clay had spent the better part of two years chasing empty leads) was Sal Ricky—a career criminal with a taste for refined women, as he would consume certain body parts of his victims after performing whatever atrocities piqued his fancy.

Clay stood tall, six foot five. He almost always wore black, except for his blue jeans. He felt it more intimidating.

He stepped into the brothel. A dozen pair of eyes turned his way. Clay removed his sidearm from its holster.

“I’m looking for Sal Ricky,” he announced. After a slight pause, he repeated the phrase. “I said, I’m looking for Sal Ricky.”

“If you want me, all you gotta do is ask,” came a smug response. The voice emanated from a dark corner. In it stood a six foot tall figure. Instead of legs, it sported four eight foot long appendages. These members would shoot forward landing on the ground and allow the rest of the body to move over them like treads on a tank. He could move surprisingly fast when necessary.

“So?” Sal Ricky asked. “What can I do for you?”

Clay moved closer toward the corner and cocked his weapon.

“Don’t play stupid, you ball of snot.” He raised his free hand and pointed a finger. “I’ve been looking for you for almost two years now.” Clay cocked the second hammer on his handgun. “This time you’re all mine.”

Sal Ricky was a hydrak. He lived up to his name, constantly oozing fluid and leaving a trail similar to that of a slug when he moved.

“Ya think so.” The creature lit a cigarette with two human-like hands. The hydrak inhaled deeply, burning up half the smoke in one drag.

“Better men have tried,” he said, finishing his cigarette with a second drag and dropping it into a puddle of slime; the butt hissed as the glowing ashes died.

Clay tightened his grip.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I get just as much for you dead as alive.” Clay smiled out of one corner of his mouth. “It makes no difference to me.”

Sal Ricky crossed his arms which were anything but human. They were muscular with a lizard-like texture and a green color to match. His lower half was bulbous and horizontal to the ground, turning vertical at mid-thorax until it formed his head.

“Don’t you tire of the same old clichés?” Sal Ricky snickered. “Easy way, hard way, alive or dead, blah, blah, blah. After two years, you should know I do nothing the easy way.” His head was square with a round circle on each side. Sal Ricky could spin his neck three hundred and sixty degrees if need be. He had a set of eyes at the upper portion of each circle. One side contained an orifice with which he spoke and took in nourishment. One big tuft of green hair sprang from the center of his scalp, climbed vertically, about a foot, and then flopped over on all sides.

“Have it your way,” Clay said.

Just then, two dark humanoid figures appeared on either side of the slug. The first figure made a move and then slipped on his boss’ excretions, landing flat on his back.

Clay rolled to his right behind a steel column and fired one barrel, removing most of the second figure’s head. The first man, still floundering in the goo, was an easy take out.

Sal Ricky moved toward Clay knocking him to the floor as he passed by.

Clay moved to one knee and steadied himself. He would have but one shot.

Sal Ricky could easily burst through the wall, and that’s what he had a mind to do, Clay surmised. He made sure both hammers were cocked. Cocking them was one thing; firing both at the same time was something you didn’t do unless you had to.

Clay took a deep breath and pulled both triggers.

Lynn Kevin Steigleder was born in Richmond, Virginia. He spent most of his adult life as a supervisor in the field of construction and fabrication. When Lynn’s department was outsourced within two months of his diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, he realized the need to transition into a new career path due to his energy and mobility challenges.His son suggested he consider writing as a career; having enjoyed Lynn’s short stories. He agreed to the challenge and his first novel, “Rising Tide”, was accepted for publication released in 2009 then re-released in 2015 with additional content. Rising Tide has become a series with two follow up novels Eden’s Wake and Deadly Reign with a fourth in the works. Lynn has also published TERMINAL CORE a stand-alone science fiction novel.

Lynn writes mainly: science fiction, fantasy, dystopian and hybrids of all three genres including action adventures all with a Christian premise.